More than two months after the death of Alex Trebek, fans of “Jeopardy!” I finally had a chance to say goodbye. A video tribute to the presenter ended Friday’s episode of the quiz show, the last Trebek recorded before pancreatic cancer claimed his life on November 8th.
The 90-second montage, with Hugh Jackman singing Peter Allen’s song “Once Before I Go”, is a joyful and laughing memory that shows Trebek’s change in appearance during his 36 years as a host, with mustache and without, with black and gray hair, with suits from several decades.
He celebrated the craziest moments of the normally narrow Trebek, showing him verbally fighting with competitors and wrestling with one of them.
“You really make me feel inadequate,” he says to a competing child. “Sorry about that,” she replies boldly.
Trebek is shown walking around the set without pants in one clip, dressed as the Statue of Liberty in another and wearing the costume of a Trojan soldier in another.
A clip of the presenter stating “I don’t dance” is shown amid scenes of him dancing over the years.
The tribute is still very sad and sentimental, although, as Jackman sings “it is so difficult to say goodbye, when there is so much that was not said in your eyes” and “once before I go, I would like to inform you, that I would do everything again. “
And in its final moments it shows Trebek through decades, saying repeatedly: “See you later, everybody.”
Trebek died on November 8 at the age of 80, but recorded several weeks of programs that continued to air. He continued to work for almost two years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, remaining on the podium where he had become an institution since the beginning in 1984.
The show will continue next week with a series of interim hosts, starting with the veteran “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings.
The final episodes of the week in Trebek began on Monday with the presenter asking viewers to donate to others who suffered during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are trying to build a more kind and kind society, and if we all contribute a little bit, we will get there,” said Trebek.
Their final shows were originally scheduled to air on Christmas week, but have been postponed until this week to give more exposure to the submission.
The episode includes holiday elements, such as the “Christmas Movies” category.
In one of the last of the more than 500,000 tracks Trebek delivered to competitors in his more than 8,200 episodes, he says:
“Basically, this exciting classic by Frank Capra is about a wretched financier who had an incredibly difficult Christmas Eve.”
The correct answer: “What is ‘Is it a wonderful life’?”
Apparently, Trebek wasn’t sure that Friday’s episode would be the last when it was recorded.
The show’s executive producer, Mike Richards, told NBC’s “Today” program on Monday that Trebek was “an absolute warrior” on his latest recordings, despite being in “enormous pain”.
At the end of the episode, before the video tribute, Trebek says, “See you again next week.”